Cui Hao's smile appeared relaxed, but in his heart he also sighed heavily—the stone in his heart had finally settled.
Although he knew his master had agreed and wouldn't break his word, this matter wasn't easy to handle. When he went back, he would need to properly express his gratitude.
But he had to admit, his master really had methods. He had actually managed to play a trick of darkness under the lamp.
He had asked for a month and a half. But in his master's reply, he was guaranteed at least two months.
Those extra fifteen days would indeed allow him to do much more.
Seeing Zhu Tu's even more obsequious expression, Cui Hao decided to give this boar demon a lesson in awareness. He glanced at him with a half-smile and said:
"Do you understand what 'backing' means now?"
Zhu Tu said obsequiously:
"Envoy, your backing truly reaches the heavens!"
"Who are you insulting?" Cui Hao's expression turned disgusted, and he said coldly. "We are the heavens!"
Zhu Tu nodded repeatedly at these words. To make Yunmeng Pavilion's Zheng Zhaoling personally make this trip at this critical juncture—whatever method was used, that was the heavens of heavens.
He had racked his brains and never imagined there could be such a method.
Zhu Tu kept saying:
"Yes, yes. Envoy is right."
Cui Hao withdrew his gaze and continued in a leisurely tone:
"Now you know how solid our backing is. Now it's time to properly compete."
"Spend more money and food on propaganda. As long as people are willing to come to our Huaze Village, they'll get the subsidies they deserve. If there isn't enough farmland to distribute, you need to proactively reclaim more. The roads that need building should be built properly too."
"I'll draw you a planning map in a bit and set up some legal regulations."
Zhu Tu didn't care what Cui Hao was actually talking about. He just nodded frantically in agreement.
Whatever the heavens said was what it was. Why worry about the heavens' purpose and intentions? He was responsible for carrying out orders.
Besides, knowing too much wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Cui Hao's mind continuously recalled the maps he had memorized in the past, constantly making plans.
Everything had inertia. Often, all that was needed was a forceful push.
Then it would become an unstoppable torrent on its own.
A thousand years of silence was also a thousand years of gathering strength.
————————
In Yunmeng Marsh, the Golden Winged Heavenly Cave.
Originally, this place was the cave dwelling of a Nascent Soul eagle demon. But this eagle demon had encountered another envoy from the heavens.
Although the heavenly envoy hadn't revealed his identity, this envoy's methods had made it obedient and afraid to act rashly.
In Yunmeng Marsh, besides the wish-power method, another technique common among demons was cultivating into human form. After all, the god shrines and statues really couldn't have an eagle carved on them.
Human faith had a homomorphic quality. You might not be human, but you at least had to look like one.
At this moment, the eagle demon had transformed into a white-haired young man. He looked down at the floor, saying nothing, as if he couldn't hear.
Chen Baiqing sat in the main seat, her brows tightly furrowed, looking somewhat perplexedly at the message Lu Lingyi had just sent. She asked casually:
"Zheng Zhaoling, Yunmeng Pavilion's current core disciple? What is she doing here at this time?"
Lu Lingyi spoke calmly:
"She says she's here to inspect the situation in Yunmeng Marsh."
Chen Baiqing pressed: "Has there ever been a precedent of Yunmeng Pavilion's current core disciple coming to inspect before?"
"Never." Lu Lingyi had clearly done her research. Her tone was firm. "Yunmeng Marsh has extremely high autonomy. Yunmeng Pavilion only nominally sends elders on rotating supervision. They call it supervision, but in reality they don't manage much. Many things are handled with a blind eye."
Chen Baiqing nodded gently, then said:
"When things are unusual, there must be a reason. Our arrival probably wasn't as hidden as we thought. They likely know we're here and know our identities, which is why they sent Zheng Zhaoling."
"From the current situation, she doesn't know our location yet. Otherwise, she would have come looking for us. There's still room for maneuver."
"Not being able to make a move is indeed a restriction for us, but it's also a restriction for them."
Chen Baiqing pondered slowly, and eventually her gaze turned cold:
"Time is not on our side, and we lack the advantage of terrain. At this point, pulling chestnuts from the fire and muddying the waters is the way to go."
"At the very least, we should divert Zheng Zhaoling's attention toward the evil cultivators."
As she spoke, Chen Baiqing looked at Wang Chuan and Li Zhuhua beside her and said coldly:
"Wang Chuan, temporarily stop investigating the demons who trade with evil cultivators. Instead, find out Zheng Zhaoling's purpose and her movements. We need to understand what she's trying to do first."
"Li Zhuhua, you don't need to split your attention to monitor what my junior brother is doing for now. Let him play for a while. I roughly understand his thinking. He might be useful in the future."
"Also, take this eagle and go stir up some trouble. Specifically target demons we've confirmed have traded with evil cultivators. Some groundwork needs to be laid in advance."
The two responded in unison.
Chen Baiqing pursed her lips lightly and looked again at the intelligence in her hand.
This was her first time out on a mission. She always had to do it well, do it properly.
————————
In Yunmeng Marsh, the Yunmeng Heavenly Cave.
This was the place with the deepest spiritual energy in Yunmeng Marsh.
As the core within the core of Yunmeng Marsh, it was not only the cave dwelling of Yunmeng Marsh's highest Yunze God, but also the residence of the elders sent by Yunmeng Pavilion.
In the original conception, demon governing demon would naturally be more convenient than human governing demon.
The Yunze God had already gone through two terms. According to the rules, the most important point for each Yunze God was—gaining Yunmeng Pavilion's recognition.
After all, Yunmeng Pavilion was one of the eighteen immortal sects. Although its reputation wasn't as brilliant as other sects, its strength was unquestionable.
As long as they were willing, they could naturally manage the entire Yunmeng Marsh from top to bottom.
But many things couldn't be solved with just "willing." Complicated relationships and past events could also affect the present.
Zheng Zhaoling sat calmly in the upper seat of the banquet hall, her gaze calm as she watched the humans and demons below performing enthusiastically.
The three elders from Yunmeng Pavilion were seated on the left and right upper seats. The main seat belonged to the nominal host of this place—the Yunze God.
She was a stunningly beautiful woman wearing a pale white dress with blue floral embroidery, her white hair flowing naturally, her face extremely pale yet extremely beautiful, her eyes full of tender affection.
Zheng Zhaoling couldn't see through the Yunze God's cultivation. She estimated it was at least at the mid-to-late Integration realm.
As for the Yunze God's true identity, it was also kept extremely confidential by Yunmeng Pavilion.
Zheng Zhaoling also didn't know what the Yunze God's true form was.
This banquet had already been going on for three days.
Zheng Zhaoling had not refused. Instead, she had attended the banquet three times.
First, the face that should be given must be given. Second, giving face now would prepare the ground for not giving face later.
As a core disciple of Yunmeng Pavilion coming to inspect Yunmeng Marsh, Zheng Zhaoling naturally had to go through the sect's procedures. Her identity was obvious. Going privately would only give others ammunition to criticize her, with no benefit.
Investigations should be conducted openly and honestly.
Zheng Zhaoling also understood that Yunmeng Marsh must have things she wasn't meant to see.
Otherwise, why would they hold grand banquets three days in a row?
Zheng Zhaoling's gaze lowered, looking at the delicacies on the table before her.
Instinctively, she remembered Chu Xingchen's words.
Hunger and cold cannot be forgotten.
[
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